A little too short and a little too sweet and a little too smooth, but not a bad read at all :) Three and a half stars, maybe. ( )

BOOK BLURB:
Four years ago Ryan Johnston was an artistically talented eighteen-year old hoping to go to art school. Trying to be true to himself he came out to his religious parents and was promptly disowned. To escape their threats to ruin his and his friends' lives he fled to Canada. Recently he found out that his twin sister Nicole is getting married to his best friend Peter Miller. He desperately wants to witness her special day. Risking exposure to his fanatical parents he travels back to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and makes his way to the church on the evening before the wedding.

BOOK REVIEW:
To Find And To Keep isn't so much a romance with a happy ending ~ it is a happy ending, all the way through.

Ryan and Daniel have both had a rough time of it in the past ~ Ryan was kicked out after coming out to his parents, and after hiding his crush on still-school-aged Ryan, Daniel had to live with Ryan's disappearance. The story really begins at the point when everything starts to go right for both of them as Ryan returns, determined to sneak a peek of his sister on her wedding day, and Daniel trips over the love of his life sitting on a park bench.

The focus of the story is on what happens after that magic moment when the two men find each other, which means that we get to see more of the detail of their happy ending than in a traditional romance. We get to see the misunderstandings, and them learning to communicate, the loving sex, the realizations of just how different their lives have been, and their growing understanding of how they can work things out and make their new relationship flourish. The result is a happily-ever-after you can really believe in.

This is pure, escapist romance, where the happily ever after begins on page six, and not only resolves the central love story, but also the family dynamic.

Yates resists the urge to make everything perfect, which might have tipped the story over into syrupy sweetness, but by the end of the story, the young man who started out all alone in a homeless shelter is happily ensconced with his true love, out and proud, with his twin sister and his high school best friend standing beside them: this is a warm, uplifting, read.

(Originally reviewed for Rainbow Reviews - http://www.rainbow-reviews.com/?p=1472) ( )

This was a quick, light read full of tender moments between Ryan and Daniel.

I was so in the mood to read something light and sweet today that I've read the whole book. Serena's writing is simple and lovely in this so, if you're in the mood for something like that, go read this book, you won't regret it.

This was my first m/m book and I don't regret it at all. Both Ryan and Daniel are adorable and sensitive men and I hope their personalities are more explored in the sequel, which I fully intend on reading.

Ryan's parent are awful, close minded people. It's a shame there's still people out there who think like them. Like being homosexual is some kind of illness. I just don't get it how some parents, who are suposed to love their children unconditionally, can do something like disown their own son just because he's gay.

It was obvious that Daniel was the older one in the relationship, for Ryan sometimes had immature thoughts and actions. I guess that's part of who he is, though. He's insecure and shy and has a lot of growing to do yet. :) I really liked those characters and look forward to read the sequel! ( )

There is a fine line between romance and sap and a little too often this novella crossed the line. And, if I am being honest, I have to agree with a reviewer who said the Amazon.com blurb covers the entire story. It does: Ryan shows up at his sister's wedding after being threatened and kicked out by his parents; she welcomes him back with open arms and his childhood friend that he had a crush on protects and takes him in. There's some explicit sex, and Ryan and Dan the standard sensitive bottom and alpha male protector, respectively. So, why are there so many positive reviews for this story? Sometimes a reader just wants a simple "happily ever after" and this satisfies on that level. No, it's not Shakespeare, or even a particularly well done romance. But, it is not the worst gay romance I have read and it didn't set me up for a great story and fail to deliver. My expectations were low. I wanted something with some sex and an HEA to while away the time while waiting for my plane. I don't regret reading it, but it wasn't memorable either. It was worth the price of an e-book.

The lack of actual conflict or tension actually inspired me to read the sequel, To Keep and To Love, to see if the author develops the relationship or builds a plot. Unfortunately, my expectations were too high and I was disappointed. ( )